God's Bit of Wood

1122 Words3 Pages

The Author of this book is called Sembene Ousmane, and he is a French- African that was born in Senegal. “He is assuredly one of the most prominent figures in African film and literature” (Emory). After World War II was started, he was drafted by the French Army. After the war he returned to France where he joined the French communist party until the independence of Senegal in 1960 (Emory). The Author doesn’t use chapters instead writes the book towards each cities perspective and how they were involved in this book.

The book starts off Ad'jibid'ji, the daughter of Bakayoko, sneaking into the railroad workers meeting in Bamako. Ad’jibid’iji is a very respectful character. She obviously values the opinions and views of her elders while at the same time knowing her own perspective. When Niakoro accuses her of speaking in French she is ashamed. When her grandfather asks her what she thinks of Tiemoko, She lies because she knows her father and family like him. What is interesting about Ad’jibid’iji is that inwardly she is. She listens to Niakoro’s opinions of her place in the clan as a girl but she silently disagrees. I like that she is outwardly respectful but does not let the opinions of others dictate her own. She also uses the fact that she is a harmless little girl to her advantage in pushing through the crowd; not one person stops her or tries to send her home. It seems that as a girl in this more modern world she will be accepted as she is. However, it makes sense that her elders who came from a different time completely think that some of her actions are improper.

The meeting the workers had been concerning the low wage pay and poor treatment from the employers. The workers gathered and hailed a strike “yes we must strike!...

... middle of paper ...

...cisely this show of determination from those (the wives marching) that the French had dismissed the strike. The women's march causes the French to understand the nature of the willpower that they are facing, and shortly after the French agree to the demands of the strikers. “The news has been confirmed, the strike is over” (Sembene 348).

In conclusion, the book was mostly about the struggle of the Senegal people and how they were being treated unfairly by the railroad companies. People have gone through series of unfortunate events to get to the freedom necessary for life. In this book the people’s need for change conflicted with the management’s desire for unequal rights to continue. Greed had led them to think like this, but the people prevail against all odd so they find independence from oppression.

Works Cited

http://english.emory.edu/Bahri/Sembene.html

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